Mill-box.



Patented Oct. 3, |899.

E. ANDREWS.

MILL BOX.

(Application filed Apr. 22, 1897.)

(No Model.)

v @Nez v'Nrrnn STATES' PATENT GFFICE.

EMERY ANDREWS, OF KENNEBUNK, MAINE.

NllLL- SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,320, dated October 3, 18.99.

To a/ZZ whom t 11m/,y concern:

Beit known that 1, EMERY ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kennebunk, in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Mill-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Mill-boxes are used for various purposes, such as holding copsl of yarn and rovings, as well as heavier articles, and are subject to hard usage `inbeing dragged around when full and pushed or thrown aside when empty. The parts thereof are liablein consequence to wear through, to dent or bend out of shape, and to break. If the boxes must be sent off for repair, enough extra ones must'be kept on hand to replace them temporarily, and a considerable expenseis thereby incurred. It is the object of my invention to produce a light and rigid box of simple construction which shall present the most effective resist-4 ance at all points to vwearer more violent damage and whose vparts shall be capable of repair ory replacement byl workmen on the premises and-with'little expenditure of time and labor, Y

' My invention will be. described first with reference to the accompanying. drawings, which represent the best embodiment there'- of which I have yet contrived, after which its distinguishing.characteristics will be pointed out and distinctly defined in the claims at the close of this speciiication.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of my mill-box at mid-length thereof. v Fig.. 2 is a view of the bottom of the same. .,Fig. 3 is a detail viewshowing one of the end: blocks or plugs, which are described herein-l` after. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail. i

The sides and bottom of the Vbox are composed, preferably,`of rectangular sheets 1 2 3 4 5 of leatheroid,.although other suitable material may be used, leatheroid being satisfactory in use, since it is tough, smooth, and slightly flexible. At the eight edges in which these sides and bottom meet are placed strips 6 to 13 of the same material, these being L- shaped in cross-section and riveted to the said sides and bottom. Over each upper edge snat ressenti'. oro model.)

ofthe box, is fitted a wooden rail`15 to 18, having a longitudinal slot therein to receive the said upper edge. These. rails are riveted on, as at 19.

To each rail above described I apply a railcap of sheet metal, as 20 to 23. The said cap preferably is secured in place .by rivets 19, which pass through the rail-cap as well as through the rail and the sides of the box,there by securing the whole structure together. The rail-cap is U-shaped in cross-section and formedwith inwardly-bent edges, as 24 and 25. In some cases I form the rails 16 to 1S- with narrow side grooves extending along the same, as 'at 26 27, Fig. 1, to receive the said bent-in edges. omit the said side grooves, as shown in Fig. 4, the bent-in edges ofthe sides of the railcap bearing against the sides of the rail. In either case, Whether the grooves be provided or not, the bent-in edges of the rail-cap form close and tight joints withv the sidesof the rail and cracks orfopenings are prevented from existing.

28 to 31 are angle-pieces of heavy metal cast of a shape to lit over the upper angles of the box and riveted through, as at 32. As

`Will be apparent, the box has no rough or sharp edges which could either injure the hand in the handling of the box or tear the cops of yarn or the like which are placed therein, smooth surfaces being presented at every point. f l

.When loaded, the box frequently is dragged about in the roughest manner. I therefore provide upon therbottom ofthe box weary taking devices, suchasnow will be described.

y 40 40 are shoes extending longitudinally of the bottom of the box,l preferably adjacent to the side edges thereof, and is a shoe located at an intermediate place on the bottom. The number and arrangement of the shoes of either kind employed on a box are optional. Each of the said shoes I connect with the box in a manner intended to facilitate the removal thereof whenworn'and theapplication of a fresh one. Thus for each shoe to be mounted upon the box I attach to the latter a holder, the said holder and the shoe being constructed to permit of thedetachable connection of the In other cases, however, I

IOO

shoe to the holder. rlhe forms adopted in practice may vary. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention each of said shoes 40 40 consists of a sheet-metal shell, which has laterally-extending projections or wings 4l 42. In practice I introduce into the said shell a core of wood or other suitable material Si). lVhen the core has been fitted into the shell or, as it may be termed, the casing, the core and easing are fastened together by one or more rivets 43. The shell or casing offers resistance to abrasion and is protected from collapsing or distortion by the core. The lateral wings of the casing serve as a brace throughout its length against glancing blows received by the shoe. The holders which I have shown for securing the shoes 40 40 in place are designated 33, 34, 35, and 3G. They are represented as located adjacent to the four corners of the box. Each holder is held to the bottom of the box by one or more rivets 37, passing through the holder itself, the bottom of the box, and a portion of the lower angle-strip. The holders 353, 34, 35, and 3l.; are constructed to engage with the projections or wings 4l and 49 of the shoes 40. Each holder may consist of a strip of sheet metal, such as indica-ted at in Fig. 2, and be applied in flat condition to the bottom of the box, so that when the shoe is placed in position on the said strip the ends of. the latter maybe folded around the projections or wings of the shoe. The frictional hold ot' the said `folded-over ends may be depended upon, if desired, to hold the shoes in place. If desired, the ends of the strips composing the holders may be bent over into shape to clasp the wings or projections of the shoe prior to the application of the shoe to the holdel or even of the holder to the box, in which case the shoe will be applied to the holder by heilig slid endwise into the latter. Previously to applying the shoes to the bottom of the box the spaces between the holders pertaining to each side edge of the box will be filled by an oblong sheet of leatheroid or other suitable material, as at 38 3S, of the same thickness as the backs of the holders, and this sheet, with the said backs of the holders, will afford an even and firm backing for the core and casing of the shoe. The core is made an inch or so shorter at each end than the casing, and into the empty ends of the casing I introduce the stems of two wear-receiving plugs 44 and 45, which are made of steel or other suitable material, the said plugs having their exposed faces rounded and coming flush with the adjacent ends of the shoe, so as to leave no shoulder or exposed edges to injure the surface on which the box is placed. In order to secure the plugs in place, a rivet or the like, as 401, is passed through the end of the shoe and the stem of the plug within the same. In order that the exposed face of the plug may come flush with the end of the shoe, as aforesaid, the stem of the plug is smaller in diameter than the remaining part, anda shoulder 451 is produced. rlhis shoulder bears against the outer edge of the holderadjacent thereto and holds the shoe from movement endwise.

In order, further, to arm the bottom of the box, I mount at its center and at such other point or points as may be deemed desirable a holder consisting of a cast frame, which in the drawings is shown as consisting of a flat base or fiange part 4G, provided with rivetholes, and a raised part 47, having somewhat the form of a truncated pyramid. The part 47 is provided with holes or slots 48 in its slopingsides. The precise shape of the frame is of no importance. The frame will preferably be applied by first placing a strengthening-square of leatheroid on the bottom of the box, centering the frame thereon, and riveting the whole together by the rivets 40. Next I place upon the summit of the sloping part 47 a wear-shoe 50, stamped out with four ears 51. These ears I bend over an'd into the slots 4S, (one ear being shown in Fig. 2 as still extended,) whereby the shoe 50 is securelyheld on the frame. The parts are to be so proportioned that the face of the shoe will come llush with the faces of the above-described shoes 40 40. W'hen the shoe 50 becomes worn through, its ears readily may be straightened out, thus freeing them from the slots 4S, when it may be removed and replaced by a new one. If the casing of either shoe 40 40 wears through, it may be removed by unbending the bent-over ends of the holders 33 34, &c., and immediately replaced, or the rivet 451 of one of the plugs may be driven out and the shoe withdrawn endwise from ils holders.

I claim as my inventionl. In a mill-box, the combination with the box proper and a frame permanently affixed thereto, of a shoe provided with lugs and characterized by being detachably applied upon the said frame with the said lugs iiexed or folded over thereon, whereby upon reverse ilexure of the lugs the shoe may be removed from the frame and a new one applied in like manner wit-hout detaching the frame from the box.

2. In a mill-box, the combination with the box proper of one or more holders permanently secured to the same, and a shoe comprising a core contained in a wear-resisting casing with projections or wings and characterized by being removably applied to the said holder or holders with portions of the latter flexed or folded over upon the said Wings, whereby the shoe is frictionally secured to the holder or holders and may be removed therefrom by effecting reverse flexure of the said portions thereof.

In a mill-box, the combination, with the walls of the box, and rails having side grooves and a bottom groove, the latter groove receiving the upper edge of the said Walls, of protecting rail-caps fitting over the top and sides of said rails and having its edges bent IOO IIO

and thereby retain the shoe. from endwise movement, substantially as described. 1o

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 'in presence of two Witnesses.

EMERY ANDREWS.

Witnesses: I

WVM. A. MACLEOD, CHAs. F. RANDALL. 

